Strengthening silk velvet

VickyT

VickyT

Registered Guest
Hi everyone,
I'm new here! I have a 1920s silk velvet jacket that I am restoring. She has seen some very bad damage unfortunately and has been shredded at the bottom, but I'm doing all I can to bring her back to her former glory. Problem is, the velvet is very brittle and I'm noticing that it's very prone to tearing. The velvet is not a thin stretchy type, but a stiff fabric with a very short/thick pile. I'm wondering if there is any way to strengthen the velvet from the back side (e.g. with some glue etc.) or am I risking changing the drape or ruining the pile by adding something to the back? I'm worried that it will snag and tear, once It's finished being restored if I don't do something now to strengthen it.
Any help would be awesome, thank you!
 

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It sounds like your silk fabric is shattering, an incurable fabric "disease."
https://thepragmaticcostumer.wordpress.com/2012/11/08/shattered-dreams-what-makes-antique-silk-so-fragile/#:~:text=It's common in many antique pre-1930s silks.&text=Silk shatter is like an,to be removed and replaced.

Textile conservators sometimes use silk crepeline or stabiltex to cover or back up shredding areas. By no means use anything iron-on which only adds to the deterioration and is irreversible.

There is a short section on this problem inVFG's:
https://vintagefashionguild.org/care-and-cleaning/part-5-dyeing-and-major-restoration/
Part 5 of A Guide to Care and Cleaning for the Vintage Seller
by Hollis Jenkins-Evans pastperfectvintage.com
Marian
 
Welcome Vicky!

I'm afraid I have to agree with Marian, that fabric backing as a conservator might do is most likely the only way.

Some time ago I received a 1910s silk satin dress from a woman who wanted me to sell it for her. It came through the mail in great shape, I laid it out on a bed and returned to it a week later. Lifting it, shattering of the fabric happened all over it. I believe the change in environment sent the aged fabric over the edge. Hoping you are better off with yours!
 
Yes, very difficult to restore shattered silk velvet or any silk. You mentioned that the velvet is stiff, which should not be the case if it is silk velvet. Now I am curious, can you show us the entire garment or more of it? I do not see shattering in the photos, just a ragged edge of fabric. do you wish to display it after restoration attempts, or did you intend to try to wear it (not recommended)?
 
Thank you everyone! That's just heartbreaking if it is shattering. I have not heard of this before :(
I will try and find some backing that I can use (that's not iron on) and see if that helps. Mostly it is fine, but in some places it's splitting (just like in the photos of that article) - straight lines that look like cuts. I have started to stitch those back into place from the backing (which I had gotten from another post in here) - there are around 4 of them, but that's where I noticed it starting to shred. If I don't take wide stitches, the weave just breaks if I put a needle through it.

Barbara, I did think it was strange that it was so stiff, but I did a small burn test (on a piece that had come off) and it doesn't melt, it smolders, and it smells like burnt hair, and everything I've read says this is what silk does when it burns (please correct me if that's not right).
I have added a photo of the entire coat. The bottom is severely damaged and there is a very large hole in the lining near one of the armpits, so I can't save the lining (though it will not be thrown out). I had intended to wear it occasionally (but this was before I realised it was shattering) so I'm not sure what to do now, and whether I should even attempt to fix the bottom.
I've attached a couple of photos - the coat itself is a very dark red (darker than in the photos) but it doesn't come up on camera very well.
Thank you all again!

Vicky
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Hi guys,
I have another question - could I use organza instead of crepeline to give it some strength? Being in Australia means I'm super limited in what fabrics I can actually get a hold of. It's next to impossible to get anything that's pure silk and I can't find a crepeline. Would an organza work? Thank you!
@denisebrain @Vinclothes
 
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